R.L Jones ft. Adalita – 'Everybody Wants To Be Your Friend'

Add this track to the long list of your favourite Australian male/female collabs featuring everybody’s local musical heroes. Overseas charts and the general populace still aren’t bored of naked sulking and Wally painting triangles on everyone after a year, so I hope this will provide a bit more joy.

I was under the impression that the initialled psuedonym thing was reserved for science fiction writers or medical practioners but the former Middle East member is now releasing material under R.L Jones (although I always thought Rohin was a cool name). Since The Middle East disbanded, Jones has been spending time in Townsville and Sydney developing both new and older songs into a record expected early next year.

But back to the tune – Rohin and Adalita are way out from their familar sound here. Rohin’s gentle folk stylings have been replaced with something a little more confident. It’s got that bright, driving Ernest Ellis vibe to it and I’m really enjoying that huge, melodic riff cradling the intro. And even for the comforts of slight distortion, Adalita’s done away with the trademark drawls just for this and sounds unusually – but incredibly, sweet. ‘Feel good’ is a cheap description. But I do get the strange urge to hug someone after hearing this.

R.L Jones is playing this Friday 22nd June at Brisbane’s Old Museum with fellow former Middle East bandmates + Black Water Fever, Pete Cullen, John & Alexander and Dom Miller. Tickets here.

R.L Jones FB